Belur : This quaint hamlet - 38 km. From
Hassan - is located on the banks of the river
Yagachi. It was once the capital of the Hoysala
empire, today made unforgettable for its exquisite
temples. 222 kms from Bangalore, 40 kms from Hassan,
157 kms from Mysore. Situated on the right bank
of Yagachi, it is styled as the Daskshina Varanasi
or Southern Benaras.
The Chennakeshava Temple One of the finest examples
of Hoysala architecture, this temple took 103
years to complete. And it is easy to see why.
The façade of the temple is filled with
intricate sculptures and friezes - with no portions
left blank. Elephants, episodes from the epics,
sensuous dancers they are all there - awe-inspiring
in their intricate workmanship.
Sravanabelagola : 51 km.
South-east of Hassan and 8 km. From Channarayapatna,
this is one of the most important Jain pilgrim
centers. Here is the 17m high monolith of Lord
Bahubali-the worlds tallest monolithic statue.
Thousands of devotees congregate here to perform
the 'Mahamastakabhishekha'. A spectacular ceremony-held
once in 12 years - when the 1000 year-old statue
is anointed with milk, curds, ghee, saffron
and gold coins.
Halebid : The ancient capital
of the Hoysalas, Halebid was then known as Dwarasamudrm
(Gateway to the Seas). The temples of Halebid
like those of Belur-represent one of the most
artistically exuberant period of Hindu cultural
development. . The Hoysaleswara Temple, dating
back to the 12th century, is astounding for its
wealth of sculptural details. Set on a star shaped
platform, this magnificent temple is guarded by
a Nandi Bull at its entrance. The walls of the
temple are covered with an endless variety of
gods and goddesses, animals, birds and dancing
girls. The most remarkable feature about this
temple is that no two facts are the same.
